In all the comments, here, and from the players Craig Simpson is the one that came through. Specifically taking the time to mention the
ENTIRE Moss family and acknowledging their own time of pain. This of course including Vikki Moss, who Wayne was dating for years, and was the inspiration for Joey to have the opportunities he had with the Oilers. Somewhere out there, and I don't know why, Vikki Moss was entirely forgotten, and I don't think deserved to be. She seemed to have a heart of gold as did the large Moss family. They deserve to be mentioned collectively.
RIP Joey.
ps This is one of the best articles I have seen on the Moss Family.
Oil King: Joey Moss, Wayne Gretzky and the most remarkable relationship in all of sports
Glen Sather on Joey;
"He had the capability of uniting everyone in the dressing room, whether they were 18 or 35. He did just about everything. If there were players in his way while he was cleaning, he whacked them with his broom."
More from the article;
Joey is one of 13 kids. When he was young, the Mosses had a musical group similar to TV's Partridge Family. Their band was called the
Alaskan Highway Birthquakes and performed at small venues across the north.
Near the end of each performance, Vikki, who was 6, would sing.
"She melted everyone's hearts," says Stephen, the last-born of the 13 Moss kids.
Joey, who was 5, came out next and last, carrying a ukulele that he pretended to play.
"He stole the show," Stephen says. "He is a born entertainer."
So this is astounding to me, but in making this post I just uncovered this, and a faint memory that I had seen the Alaskan Highway Birthquakes at Klondike Days in 1968. I hadn't remembered that for years. I saw their show and routine, saw Joey way back then, my mother took me to see them. Vikki and Joey are in the middle:
Just getting some more information. Unfortunately video of the Alaskan Highway Birthquakes is no longer up. Can't find it anywhere, and they also deserved more accolade. The leader of the band, Joeys eldest brother, Mervin, passed away 3yrs ago and was from all reports a wonderful man and caring to Joey and the whole family was close, believed that Joey should have the most enriched life possible, and that he had gifts that he could use. In short the family believed in Joey, and he believed in them.
Mervin obituary;
Mervin Lloyd Moss Obituary - Calgary, AB
Mervin was a very accomplished musician, but nobody in the family musically ended up going as far as Vikki who had a career in music, had gone to LA, and was making music videos and had a track featured in ST. Elmos Fire. The whole family had a lot of gifts, a lot of joy, and I mention all that because it takes a strong family and community to make a Joey Moss. They all deserve our thoughts.
Heres one of Vikki Moss most famous songs, she had several hits in the 80's;